The Precipice
by the-wild-rumpus
Summary: Sequel to Which Team Am I On? and set after Things Change Terra must decide between an ordinary life or returning to Titans Tower. And this time, she has a new secret...
1. Chapter 1

This was crazy. This was completely crazy. I couldn't go through with this.

At least that's what I kept telling myself. And yet my feet continued to plant themselves one in front of the other. It was like an invisible, magnetic force was pulling me to the Tower.

A chilly wind swirled around me, whipping my hair and making the dry, crisp leaves spin in wild circles over the sidewalk. I pulled my coat tighter against my chest. My heart hammered against my fists.

What was I going to say? I hadn't planned anything. Typical me, rushing into things without stopping to think things through... All I knew was that I wanted to see him. Would he still want to see me? After he had tried so hard to pull me back in and I had just run away again...

But he didn't know. Maybe I could try and explain things. Then maybe he would finally give up on me. Just like everyone else... Why did he even want me back in his life after everything that had happened? Could he really trust me that much? It was more than I gave myself credit for, that was for sure. And how could he have forgiven me? And not only that, but he was actually ready to welcome me back into his world. He really must be naiive...

I stared up at the sky, watching the stars peek out through the clouds. Why did I have to come at night? He probably wasn't even awake. I had no idea what time it was... Why didn't I ever think things through? Why did I always have to act on impluse...

The Tower seemed to suddenly loom out of nowhere. I searched the windows but they were all dark, the inky glass reflecting the murky clouds. I stood there, frozen, wringing my hands and wondering what I was supposed to do now.

I had a brief flashback to living in the desert, when I once stood at the very edge of a sheer cliff. I had been curious, wanted to lean over as far as I could and look all the way down. I never had much of a fear of heights. I stood on my tiptoes, staring down at the abyss below me. Behind me there was safety, security, no question. But out in front of me... It made my blood rush to look out at the great, yawning canyon and wonder what it would feel like to take one small step forward and let myself fall...

I realized the reason for my flashback. This feeling was so similar that it made my stomach turn. I knew what would happen if I turned back now. I would go home, slip back into my room, and wake up the next morning, and every morning after as an ordinary, harmless girl, with simple problems and a simple life.

But if I took that one step forward...

One foot lifted from the ground and hovered in the air. Forward or back. I took a deep breath.

Forward.


	2. Chapter 2

Call me crazy, but it felt like the night warmed up a little the closer I got to the Tower.

I still didn't know if it was really the right decicion, but I could help but feel a fluttering excitiment rising up in me. I realized I had been denying myself a lot emotion. I had forced myself not to think about what it might be like if I had come back, exactly what I was doing now.

Was I coming back for good? Was I rejoining the team? That was... a more complicated question. Right now, I was just going to talk to Beast Boy. If I could find him that was...

I was on the walkway up to the front door. I panicked briefly, wondering if I would even be able to get in the door. No doubt the security codes had been updated since I'd slipped them to Slade. I doubted even my handprint on the door would help. In fact, it might raise some alarms... That was one way I'd get them to the door, I supposed.

I heard a splash, and spun around, nerves buzzing. But it didn't come from behind me. I heard another. It was coming from the far side of the Tower.

I tiptoed away from the front door, around the right side, stepping carefully over the rugged ground. I leaned over, craning my neck to see around the Tower. There, crouched on the rocky shore skipping rocks, was the one person I needed to see.

"Beast Boy," I breathed. In the still evening, I didn't have to speak up to get his attention. His pointy ears perked up and he turned so quickly he nearly fell over.

"You're back!" He squeaked. The sound of his voice still made my stomach prickle like it had all those months ago. I stood there stupidly, my hands folded in front of me. I had no idea what to say.

I watched as Beast Boy hopped up and walked straight over to me. Before I could stop him, he took my hands in his. They were surprisingly warm, even through his gloves.

"You don't have to say anything," He murmured, his eyes locked on mine. "You don't have to explain. I just..."

His gaze dropped for a moment. He seemed to struggle to find the right words.

"Beast Boy," I said, "I _do_ need to explain. I mean... I wanted to at least try."

He looked back up at me. His eyes were full of what he was afraid to ask. I sighed heavily.

"You have to understand," I pleaded, "I... I was scared. I thought I was doing the right thing. I mean... what will they say?"

"It's okay!" He assured me, "They all forgave you. You saved all of us! You saved the whole city! We spent so long trying to bring you back. Even Raven."

"She did?"

"Yeah, all her spells and everything. But nothing worked."

I tried to picture Raven standing in front of my frozen body, muttering some magic words. It was hard to imagine. Maybe she had just told everyone she had tried...

His expresion twisted into curiosity. "How _did_ you... y'know, come back?"

"I don't know," I confessed. "I just... woke up."

It had been terrifying. For a full hour I couldn't remember anything. I had just sat there, while the memories came back in terrible flashes. The emotion was the strongest thing that came back to me- the way I had felt through it all. The blinding rage, the drunken feeling of power. I shivered.

To my intense shame, tears began to roll down my cheeks. Beast Boy said nothing, just pulled me into his chest and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

"I'm so sorry," I sobbed. "I'm sorry for everything."

"It's okay," He whispered into my hair. "It really is. That's the past. And I know it won't happen again."

"How do you know?" I asked miserably.

"Slade's gone," He pulled away from me and put one hand under my chin. I was surprised at how sure of himself he seemed to be. He wasn't the bumbling, awkward boy I remembered. He had grown up.

He wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb. "Slade's gone and everything has changed." He said firmly. I was transfixed by the eagerness in his eyes. He really wanted me to come back...

I felt a familiar instinct welling up in my chest. "I shouldn't have come here," I stammered, brushing his hand from my face. "I should just go-"

I turned to leave, but he grabbed my hand. I froze. He pulled, I spun, and all at once we were lip to lip.

My head flooded jumbled thoughts all fighting for my attention, until they all dissolved into one warm glow. His mouth moved fluidly with mine, eagerly, powefully. He had missed his chance before and he wasn't letting it happen again. His fingers tangled with my hair and it set my entire body tingling. The entire world faded at the edges until there was nothing left but he and I, his lips and mine.

I broke away first. I tried to catch my breath but it felt like there wasn't enough air in the world. I sighed, resting my forehead against his.

"You don't have to run anymore... Terra..."

His hands were in my hair again and I tensed. I wanted to believe him. Wasn't this what I had dreamed of from the very beginning? Being on the team, without the ugly pretense? Being with Beast Boy? Finally belonging somewhere?

"My power's gone."

He stood back and stared at me. His face was unreadable.

"Well," I reached up and took his hands in mine, determined to hold on to him. "It's... coming back. But really, really slowly."

"You... you can't move the earth?"

I focused, flexed my power the best way I could remember. The ground beneath us shuddered deeply, but nothing else happened.

"That's all I can do," I said. "Sometimes I can move dust or little pebbles, but nothing like I used to. Well, except..."

"Except what?"

"Promise you won't get too excited about it, okay?"

"Okay, what?"

"That day you found me? When you guys were fighting that thing across the street? I moved a boulder. A big one."

"That _was_ you!" He squeaked. "I knew it!"

I grinned and swung his hands back and forth. "Hey! What did I tell you about getting excited?" I teased.

"But I mean, that's good, isn't it? Maybe they can come back just like before! You could join the team for good!"

My heart fluttered. "I don't know..." I shook my head. "What if... What-"

"Terra," He said sternly. The confidence he'd gained drew me to him. "I told you. Things have changed. And you were right, you're not the girl you used to be. But you're still Terra."

He leaned in and kissed me again, and it was even better than the first. I reached for him, pulling him closer, breathing in his warmth. I couldn't get enough of him.

The earth rumbled around us, and we broke apart. There was a shallow, circular fissure around the place where we stood.

"Did you do that?" Beast Boy asked.

"I... I think so," I stared at it. I hadn't made anything like this since before...

"Beast Boy," something was clicking together. "I think... I think it might be you."

"What?"

I could remember now, forever ago, before Slade... "You can... help me. Remember the obstacle course? And when you found me in the caves? You helped me get control. Maybe you can help get my power back, too."

It sounded much less logical out loud, but he actally looked hopeful.

"We can try," he smiled. "We can do whatever you want. As long as I can do it with you."

I smiled up at him. I felt dizzy with happiness. His eyes gleamed, and he was grinning from ear to pointy ear.

"I... I love you, Terra."

"I love you, too."


End file.
